Reviewed by: Pat Byington
$22M Hoover cyber-forensics facility expansion will double student capacity
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Hoover’s National Computer Forensics Institute (NCFI) is in the process of a $22 million expansion, which is expected to finish in summer 2027.
After the project is complete, NCFI will have:
- An additional 37,000 square feet of space
- Three 35-person classrooms
- One 250-person auditorium
- 20 administrative office spaces and common areas
NCFI is a partnership between the U.S. Secret Service and Alabama that originally opened in 2008 with the goal of training local law enforcement on investigating cybercrimes. Students spend one to five weeks in Hoover during their training.
“The NCFI seeks to educate state, local, tribal, territorial law enforcement officers, prosecutors and judges in the continually evolving cyber and electronic crime related threats and educate, train and equip them with the tools necessary for forensic examinations to combat those crimes.”
American Council on Education
The NCFI expansion broke ground Friday, Oct. 14 at the Hoover Public Safety Center, which is where the facility is located.
The physical expansion will allow NCFI to increase its annual student capacity from 3,500 to 8,000.
“As cybercrimes and cyber-enabled crimes continue to evolve, this expansion will greatly enhance our capacity to train and equip law enforcement, prosecutors and judges across the nation with the tools and expertise needed to combat these threats.”
Donald Witham, Special Agent in Charge of the NCFI
The City of Hoover received a $22 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in February to fund the project, and the city selected M.J. Harris Construction Service as the project’s contractor in August.
NCFI has generated nearly $7.5 million in annual economic impact for Hoover, according to the city.
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